Two small boat migrants at the centre of a mob that used violent disorder to make their way to the UK illegally on a small boat have been jailed.
Salih Taib Abdullah, 33, from Iraq, and Ahmed Omar Saleh Khater, 25, from Sudan, have been sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court to a combined total of two years and two months in prison.
The sentencing comes after their involvement in a violent altercation with French authorities while attempting to cross into the UK illegally.
French gendarmes, funded by the UK, encountered a group of 51 migrants near Oye Plage, Calais, preparing to set sail for the UK.
The migrants were armed with makeshift weapons and rocks and assaulted the French officers before making their way to Dover in a small boat.
Abdullah and Khater were identified rapidly following consultations between UK and French authorities.
They were subsequently arrested by officers from the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigations unit.
Body-worn footage from the French officers showed Abdullah and Khater confronting them during the incident.
The close collaboration between the UK and French officials ensured that both men were swiftly brought to justice.
Abdullah received a 14-month sentence, while Khater was sentenced to 12 months.
Both pleaded guilty to attempting to arrive in the UK without valid entry clearance at an earlier hearing.
In the context of recent immigration trends, the latest statistics indicate a slight decrease in illegal crossings into the UK.
As of March 2023, an estimated 28,000 illegal immigrants had entered the country, marking a 10% drop compared to the previous year’s estimate of 31,000 entries.
The migrants’ average age is recorded at 27 years, and the most commonly represented nationalities are Eritreans, Afghans, and Iraqis.
Charlie Eastaugh, Director of International Operations for the Small Boats Operational Command in the Home Office, said:
“We will not tolerate violence against our French partners, particularly by those attempting dangerous and illegal small boat launches which threaten the border security of the UK.
“Tension on French beaches is increasing due to the successful efforts of law enforcement in frustrating this organised criminal enterprise.
“Incidents like this highlight the complex and brave work of our French colleagues in the face of challenging conditions.
“We will continue to work hand-in-hand with them to tackle the criminal gangs behind these deadly crossings, to protect our borders and save lives.
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I would like to assume that upon their release from prison they will be deported to France where they will be prosecuted for assault on the French police.
Terrific. Lock them up for a year, well six months anyway, and then add them to the £6 million daily hotel bill. It is interesting to note that the French do not appear to have made any extradition effort. That tells you all you need to know.
This is the calibre of the illegals. They need to be interned pending deportation. WW2 style prison camps could be erected quite quickly, a combination of razor wire and marquees would be fine. If they burn it down, they can sleep in the rain and cold in bivvy bags.
As things stand, what with the escape of Daniel Khalife and an endless supply of fighting age young men, we are heading for real trouble.
No mention of them being slung out of this country after serving there lenient terms. I hope they are sent back to France to allow the French Police to deal with them.
If French officers where attacked and injured why was the boat allowed to leave the French coast ??
We all saw the hatred these illegal migrants had on their faces when they attacked the french police. Do the gendarme not carry guns now or are they just allowed to let the illegals go if they offer resistance in being arrested. The sentence those two got was a disgrace to our and the frenches justice system. Smacky hands,smacky legs and stand in the corner for the rest of the lesson seems to be our harshest punishment to violent resistance of illegal entrance to this country. Lets get the gloves off for these people who come here to get all the freebies their own country will not give them.